Noxid: This chapter - it got to me. Like no other ever has. Not even my story Always. I hope, with everything that I have, that you are as moved as I was while I wrote it.

I wish I had had the time to reply back to each of your reviews, but this story consumed me, and I'm afraid I simply had no time. So thank you, each and every one of you. For being here with me. Your voices mean the world to me. Maryl becomes something with you all here. Which is how the sequel, Remember, came about. Please go find it when you are done here!

And one of my reviewers posed a thought; where do I get my inspiration? The answer is simple: I believe. Believe in Caryl. Believe in Maryl. With all of my heart, whether Merle dies on Sunday, or Carol dies next week, or Caryl never happens. I will never stop believing. Because in my heart, they are real.

So to all of my Carylers, and now, my Marylers – this is for you.

Disclaimer: The Walking Dead belongs to Kirkman and AMC.

But it also belongs to all of us, for in our hands it becomes something else, something extraordinary.

Never

"You remember," he forced out, between his grit teeth, clutching her tight. Her chest ached with the weight of this moment, the force of his grip.

She caressed his cheek, soft and gentle, the tears flowing freely.

"You remember our promise," she felt the tears slide down her face. Everything was crumbling around her.

And she didn't know what to do.

"Fuck this," he growled, pacing outside the walls, as darkness started to settle around them.

"Daryl, we have to wait for the signal." He spun on Glenn, eyes glowing in the dark.

"Fuck the signal! I ain't waitin' no more. Carol's in there 'n I'm gettin' her out." Glenn backed down, looking ashamed. Ever since his outburst back in the woods, everyone had been acting that way. Like he was a fuckin' walker.

"Daryl." He turned on his heel and stomped over.

"What?" he yelled, arms up. "I told ya, I ain't waitin'. Yur either with me, or ya ain't." Merle shook his head, smilin' a little.

"Fuckin' listen brother," he gripped his arm, and pointed towards Woodbury with the other.

"We gotta do this quiet," he said, soundin' like he had all the answers for once. Soundin' like he knew exactly what he was doing. And for once, Daryl thought maybe he did. He'd spent who knows how fuckin' long at the goddamn place.

"Seems ta me like the folks went 'n got themselves all riled up again, while we was gone." He raised a brow, insinuating somethin'. "Gotta use this to our advantage."

Merle turned to look at Woodbury, and walked some ways down. They'd taken out the walkers that had come round, and Tyreese and Sasha were currently on the lookout in case any more showed up.

He didn't like that he had to leave his back protected by them.

"We only got one up on the wall. Fuckin' careless pricks," he muttered. Daryl snorted.

"But while Officer Friendly's gone 'n got hisself integrated inta the snake pit, we can make our move right here." Merle pointed to a structure, just beyond the wall.

"Is that a…" Merle laughed and clapped Daryl on the shoulder.

"Hell yes it is brother. But it's the best spot for us to make our grand fuckin' entrance." Daryl turned to Merle and smiled.

She didn't know where to go. Didn't know what to do. He'd just left her there.

Said to find Daryl, but where was he? Where did she start to look?

She rubbed at her jaw absently, the pain a steady ache that kept her focused.

"Doesn't matter," she whispered, taking the first step toward the door.

She had to find him, no matter what awaited her out there.

All that mattered was that she see him again.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Glenn looked between the two of them, upset, couldn't believe what they'd just suggested.

"You really want us to go through there?" Maggie looked skeptical, eyeing the spot that Merle had pointed out. Daryl nodded, repositioned the crossbow over his legs.

"Best bet sweetheart," Merle said confidently, swagger clear in his smile. Maggie scoffed and walked away, tossing her hands into the air in defeat.

"But it's…" Glenn stared at the spot, clearly disgusted.

"What? Not man enough gook?" Glenn eyed Merle, and Daryl could just make out the slow simmering anger that was building up. He didn't need this, Merle and Glenn fighting. He needed them both with him.

"Coz ma brother 'n me, we been through more shit than I care ta talk 'bout. 'N that," he pointed to the mound, "ain't nothin' but a walk in the park. Or over the heap," he chuckled.

Glenn scowled, and stood, starting to pace. Daryl wasn't goin' to wait long, but he did want Glenn goin' with him. He trusted the Chinaman, with his life.

He stopped, looked down at Daryl, and thought about it for a moment more.

"When do we leave?" And Merle chuckled.

"Right now. So git yur walker gear on 'n lets take us a walk!" Merle stood up and walked away.

Glenn watched him go and shook his head. "You really like that asshole?" Daryl studied Glenn for a moment, and saw that he wasn't looking to cause trouble, more or less just pissed about being called a gook. Daryl couldn't really blame him.

"He's ma brother," he said, matter-of-fact. "Ain't no question 'bout likin' him." Glenn looked down at his boots and cleared his throat.

"I love'im." Glenn jerked his head up, surprise clear in his face. He must not of been expecting to ever hear that word come out his mouth.

"'N I'd die fer him." And Daryl walked away, following his brother.

She was going to slow. She knew it. But was she scared of what she would find around every corner. The minute she'd stepped out of the door, she'd dropped to the ground at the sound of gunfire popping outside.

She laid there for a moment, letting her beating heart settle before she screamed at herself to get up and move. She had to go. She had to move.

They were out there, fighting the Governor's men, maybe trying to find her, and she was just lying there like a damn idiot.

She had to find Daryl. Had to find him and make sure he was safe.

Had to keep him safe. She'd made a promise to Merle. She'd made a promise to protect Daryl, and he was here, trying to protect her. If he died, trying to save her, she would never forgive herself.

Merle would never forgive.

And she wouldn't blame him.

"This is disgusting," Maggie whispered hoarsely, behind him. He just chuckled, working his way through the bodies beneath his feet. Though he couldn't lie, he agreed with her.

Merle was ahead of him, traipsing over the walkers like they deserved every fuckin' tramp of his boot on their faces.

It was pretty fuckin' smart really, keepin' a pile of walkers on one side of the town. The stink kept the walkers away from this side, so they'd only have to keep one man on guard duty if they wanted. And the pile wasn't close enough to be smelled in the town so the people didn't know it were here.

Fuckin' genius it was it was.

Fuckin' sick too.

The bodies just rotted out here. Decayed until they fell apart at each step he took. The arms and limbs like puzzle pieces that were lost, and just tossed here. And then the torsos of those bodies, like fallen trees. Except the guts trailin' outta them, and the legs still attached to some, and the heads with their barely attached cords. Heads rolled, eyes staring lifelessly up at him.

It was a graveyard.

And it fuckin' smelled.

"I'm gonna puke," Glenn choked from beside him.

"Fuckin' hold it in Chinaman," he barked back softly.

It was dark now, and they could barely see where they were going. But he could hear the distinct sound of chains, of metal clinking. The sound was too familiar for him to not know what it was.

"Fuck!" He heard scuffling, and Glenn choking, gagging.

"Glenn?" Maggie called out, rushing to his side. Glenn was on the ground, gagging, hands spread out in the filth of the walkers.

"Oh my god, I'm gonna be sick." Daryl just laughed.

"Thought you'd gotten over this shit." Glenn and Maggie both shot him a look that could kill, though Glenn's was ruined by the churning of his face.

"Lets fuckin' go," Merle barked, still movin' on up ahead. Maggie grumbled somethin' he couldn't hear, but hauled Glenn up and kept walkin'.

"Merle, wait up," he called, running to catch him. But Merle started jogging then, the wall suddenly in his sights.

And then he saw it. The walkers. Chained to the wall, the low moan starting to build up. The chains attached to their necks clanking in the darkness loudly now that they'd been seen.

And then Merle was there, slipping past the walkers, through the rusted wall, pulling back on the sheet of metal that hadn't been repaired in months. The one he'd known about but had purposefully left alone.

"Merle!" He barked. But Merle slipped through, and he followed, dodging the hands that reached out to grab him.

It was dark back there, and he couldn't see shit, so when hands grabbed him round the collar, he flipped, reaching out and acting as if he'd been caught.

"Fuckin' me Daryl!" Merle's eyes lit up in the dark then, and he focused on his face. "This way brother," he pulled him ahead, and they made their way forward.

He ducked round a corner, and pointed towards a building further up. "See that?" he said, eyes watching the street, oddly empty.

Daryl nodded. "Best chance is the mouse is there." He looked up, and spotted another building. He pointed to it.

"Last time we was here, Glenn and Maggie were tied down in there," he said suspiciously. Merle's eyes flashed, and his lip curled up.

"Governor's got…a special place for the ones he likes. But she could be there as well." He pointed to the building Daryl had noticed. "You take that one, I'll take tha other."

Daryl clasped Merle on the shoulder, and nodded. "Thanks brother, I uh, I," he floundered, scratchin' the back of his head.

Merle grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him close. "When you find her," he forced out, heatedly, "you keep her close." Daryl couldn't decipher the look in his eyes, but he gripped Merle round the back of the neck, hard.

"You don't let go," he said, grippin' him tight. He'd never seen that look cross his brother's face before. Never seen him look so desperate for someone who wasn't family.

He nodded and Merle let him go, taking off in the direction of the building.

Daryl did the same, coming out of the shadows of the building, leaving the safety of it.

He had to find Carol. He had to get her back. Didn't matter if Rick had found the Governor or not.

All that mattered to him was Carol.

And then the gunshots went off around him.

It was chaos. It was too dark to see anything, and she could hear the gunshots going off at random. She didn't know where the exit was and she didn't know who was out there waiting for her.

But Daryl. She had to find him. Merle told her he was here, that she had to find him.

"Take the inbreds out!" She turned so fast she pulled at the pain in her side, wincing.

You didn't call anybody an inbred unless they were…

"Daryl!" She called, not thinking, not even caring if anybody heard her. Only caring if he was out there. Only caring that she find him in this godforsaken mess.

"DARYL!" Her chest ached, from the abuse she took and because if she could just hear his voice, calling out her name-

"CAROL!" She wasn't sure she was breathing, wasn't sure she could make her heart start beating again.

She ran out from the cover of the building and didn't look back. Didn't stop even as the shots of gunfire got louder the closer she got to where Daryl's voice had come from.

"Daryl!" Her body ached, her jaw protested each time she called out his name, and she was out of breath but she didn't stop moving.

Didn't stop because if she did, she might never make it to him. Might never see his face one last time. And she had too. She had too. No matter what happened to her from here, he was the only thing she needed.

The smoke from the torches lit up the open area and she could see them, men running in and out of the buildings, bodies left on the ground dead. It was clear now that those from her group had come here to fight, and they'd waged open war on the Governor.

It was clear she had not been forgotten.

"Carol!" She turned, toward the sound of his voice, and the shadow of his outline. She knew it was him. Knew by his hunched shoulders, and the crossbow raised up to his shoulders, the picture she always knew he was.

He had come.

"Daryl, I'm here!" She ran out, into the open courtyard, forgetting everything that was happening, forgetting that it would take only an inch and she could be cut down by a bullet.

She could feel them, flying past her, the feel a rush as her life hung in that brief moment of clarity that she was still alive. And then she saw his face, as the smoke cleared, and the light illuminated his face.

Daryl.

She didn't think of herself, didn't think of Judith, or the group or anyone. She only thought of him, and she ran for him. Like she had nothing left to live for. Because she wanted to be with him, to be in his arms. Because if she was going to die, she didn't want to do it alone.

She heard the crack of a gunshot, too close for her to know what to do, and his face twisted.

"Carol!"

And then a large body collided with hers, knocking the breath out of her and pulling her to the ground. They rolled, once, their hands coming up around her in protection, grunting as their bodies connected violently. She felt a familiar object hitting her in the middle of her back.

"Fuck Mouse," he growled out, "just can't sit still, can ya?" She looked up, into Merle's blue-grays. He pulled her up to stand, still hunched over, his hand on her waist protectively.

"Baby brother's gonna kill me if I let ya git-" and the sound of a spray of bullets firing went off and Merle's body jerked.

She watched as his face contorted, twisted, morphed as pain shot through him. He pulled her into his arms, clutched her tight. She buried her face against his chest and couldn't breathe.

She felt gravity pull at them, and their bodies slowly fall to the ground.

"Merle!" Daryl's voice broke her thoughts, shattering the hope of this ever turning out okay.

Now, everything was wrong.

Merle's body took the brunt of the fall, and he grunted, moaning. She could hear Daryl screaming, and maybe even Glenn and Maggie's voice following his.

But she couldn't see anything but Merle's blue-grays, staring back at her, intently.

She reached up between them, clutching at his shirt with one hand, and the other going to his face, as the tears welled up in her eyes.

She couldn't do this, couldn't let this happen.

He'd been shot, for her.

He would die for her. And she'd just let happen. How could she have done that to Daryl? How could she look at him now? How could he look at her? How could she face the day, knowing that she'd let Merle die? When all he had ever done was look out for her?

But how could she do anything else? She was the one who'd ran out into the open gunfire. She was the one who'd wanted to get to Daryl. She was the one who'd brought this on Merle.

This was her fault.

His face was red, the breath caught in his lungs and she watched in horror as the corners of his lips tilted up.

"He loves you," he choked out, blood trickling down his chin. The tears slipped down her cheeks, and she bit her lip, trying to hold back the sobs. And even in the end, he was still only thinking about Daryl. Still being the one person everyone never knew that he was.

"Won't never admit it, ma brother, but he sure a fuck loves you." Somebody was screaming around them. People were yelling. Bullets whizzed back and forth over their heads.

"Can see it in his eyes when he looks at ya." He coughed, hard, and blood flew out of his mouth, splattering her cheek. She didn't flinch. Couldn't let go of his gaze. She didn't want to see this, to watch him in these last moments. But she had to know Merle. Had to know the man that had made Daryl, the man that she loved. For if anyone had given Daryl his strength, it was this man right here. His brother.

"You remember," he forced out, between his grit teeth, clutching her tight. Her chest ached with the weight of this moment, the force of his grip.

She caressed his cheek, soft and gentle, the tears flowing freely.

"You remember our promise," he growled. She choked on the tears then, the sobs breaking free. She nodded, and buried her face in his chest.

He couldn't die. Not Merle. Not Daryl's brother. He had to live. Had to live for Daryl. He'd only just gotten him back. Was life really so cruel as to rip him away so soon? Would the world see a family torn apart so quickly?

She wanted to scream for Merle. She wanted to scream for everything that was being lost.

"Don't you cry for Merle," he whispered, stroking her hair once. She sobbed again, the gesture breaking her heart.

"An' don't you never let go of ma brother," he said, drifting even further. She looked up hastily, her eyes burning.

His eyes were going dark, not really looking at her.

"Daryl!" she screamed, needing him to be here, to see Merle before he really left for good. Because if Daryl didn't get that chance to say goodbye to his brother then she'd never forgive herself. Never.

"Merle!" He slid to a halt, beside them. He grabbed Merle's head gently, turned it to face him. She could see the tears burning at the rims.

Merle was silent and she felt her heart stop.

He couldn't be dead. Not yet. Daryl had to say goodbye. He needed that. Needed his brother to know what he had to say to him. They'd never been given that chance last time. The world couldn't take that away from him again.

"Don't you leave me brother!" He begged, screamed, kneeling next to him, bent over, as the tears fell down his cheeks onto Merle's face.

And Merle coughed, blood flying. "Quit cryin' pussy," he whispered hoarsely, a smile gracing his face. Carol couldn't help the tears that tipped over and fell anew. Her chest ached but she knew time was running out. Merle's arms were growing weaker around her.

"Merle, don't. Don't leave me. Not again. It's you 'n me, right?" The desperation in his voice broke everything inside of her. She should never have let this happen. Merle smiled, mouth filling with blood. He turned his head and spit it out.

"Always, baby brother." She could feel his heart slowing, and she looked at Daryl, eyes widening.

"I always loved you Merle. You always done right by me. You know that, right?" He was talking so fast, trying to say it all, yet he gripped Merle tighter, not wanting to let him go. Merle chuckled, reaching up to take Daryl's arm.

He cracked open his eyes. "The mouse," he cracked out, holding Daryl's gaze, gripping his arm tight, "don't you never let go of her." Daryl nodded, tears falling down his cheeks, and he grabbed Merle's hand, squeezing tight.

"I won't Merle," he said hastily. Merle's head tipped to the side, eyes growing darker. He found hers again, and he wrapped that metal arm around her tight once more.

She didn't know what to do, she didn't know what to do! This wasn't how it was supposed to be! After everything they had been through, he couldn't just die like this! Not for her! Not in the middle of this goddamn misery!

"You can't die dammit," she mumbled out, through her tears.

She would never had thought before that she would have come to love Merle Dixon. But that was the truth. She loved Merle. Loved him like the brother he was to Daryl.

Because that was it wasn't it? She loved Daryl. She loved Daryl. And Merle had been the one to make them both come to that realization. Merle. The most unlikely person, the one who'd given them hell, the one who'd been there for Daryl his whole life, the one who'd saved Daryl, the one who had never let him down.

The one who'd never let him go, no matter what life had thrown at them.

Merle had never let go.

"I'll never let you go," she whispered thickly, the tears choking her, gripping his shirt tight. His arm slid further down her back, but he smiled at her, nodding.

"Always knew you was stubborn," he said softly.

"Jus' like a Dixon." And she broke out in sobs, unable to hold it in anymore. The acceptance behind that, meant more to her than he would ever know.

"Merle, don' you leave me," Daryl sobbed, bending over them both, his body shaking.

She couldn't stop the tears from falling. Couldn't stop the sobs that shook her body. Couldn't stop the feeling that her heart was breaking.

Like she was losing someone she loved dearly, with all of her heart.

"I love you Merle Dixon," she whispered, kissing his chest, the sound of his heartbeat fading away.

"Never let go."

- And it's breaking over me, a thousand miles down to the sea bed, found the place to rest my head.
Never let me go.